Chapter 021: If you treat me as a man of honor, I shall repay you as a man of honor.

For EDG, signing the talented ADC Lu Zi'ang was not only cost-free but actually resulted in a slight profit.

"Haha, this kid is truly a treasure for our EDG! His luck is simply unrivaled. I hope he can show the same performance and luck on the competitive stage!"

Ah Bu even popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Chen Dong and Clearlove were also deeply shocked, though they understood the sentiment; in their eyes, the more they saw of Lu Zi'ang, the more likable he became.

Upon learning of his signing bonus, Lu Zi'ang was also pleasantly surprised. After deducting the 15% commission for the club, he was looking at nearly 10 million in his pocket—a staggering sum compared to the 3,500 monthly salary he earned at the RNG training camp. In the blink of an eye, he had become a multi-millionaire. However, as the possessor of a system, Lu Zi'ang didn't feel an overwhelming emotional surge; he simply took it in stride. Besides, given the astronomical cost of living in Shanghai, his current savings might not even be enough to purchase a decent three-bedroom apartment.

The matchmaking queue continued. The ten-minute delay while signing the contract hadn't dampened his popularity; his follower count had already surpassed 600,000. Through the chat and gift rankings, he learned that PDD had visited his stream, gifted 110 "Super Rockets," and actively encouraged his own fans to come over and support Lu Zi'ang. He felt a genuine sense of gratitude.

Without hesitation, Lu Zi'ang returned to PDD's stream and gifted 33 Super Rockets. Seeing this, PDD chided him on air: "I told you, Zi'ang, you didn't have to gift anything just because you came by!"

"Did you all see that? That’s what it means to be family, what it means to show mutual respect. My judgment of character is spot on! Zi'ang is a man of honor. RNG? Heh."

As soon as he finished speaking, PDD jumped into Lu Zi'ang’s stream and countered with 333 Super Rockets. The viewers in the chat were stunned—what kind of move was this? At the same time, they gained a brand-new perspective on Lu Zi'ang. Everyone knew he was just a newcomer to the esports scene; how high could a training camp salary really be? Those 33 rockets were likely his entire signing bonus from EDG, or perhaps even more.

"Damn, he’s a man of few words but big actions. The goodwill is overwhelming!"
"I love this guy's personality."
"It reminds me of the saying: 'If you treat me like a national treasure, I shall repay you with the loyalty of a patriot.'"
"PDD’s character is top-tier in this scene, and Zi'ang is just as good."
"Touching."

"Damn, I’m actually getting a bit teary-eyed." The chat began to flood with the phrase, "If you treat me like a national treasure, I shall repay you with the loyalty of a patriot."

Watching the screen fill with the sentiment, PDD’s eyes grew moist. "Let’s not get too sentimental, shall we? Although I’m quite a bit older than Zi'ang, he really did help me out back when I was at my lowest point."

"Everyone, please give him some more gifts—do it for my sake, and help him reach 1 million followers."

"Brothers and sisters, you all know I don't care about a few million. But for Zi'ang, those 33 Super Rockets might have been everything he had."

Lu Zi'ang, waiting for his game to start, felt a complex mix of emotions upon seeing PDD's 333 Super Rockets; it was not a small sum. The viewers in his chat began to gossip.

"If you treat me like a national treasure, I shall repay you with the loyalty of a patriot."
"It’s rare to see PDD promote a pro player this hard..."
"There must be a real story between them. Come on, tell us!"
"Looks determine my values. He’s so handsome and clearly full of integrity; otherwise, he wouldn't have gifted those 33 rockets back."

Lu Zi'ang couldn't help but chuckle softly. With a nostalgic look in his eyes, he said slowly, "There isn't much of a story, really. It’s just that PDD and I are the same kind of people."

"What kind of people?"
"Hmm... Let me play a song for you. After listening, you might understand."

Soon, the stream was filled with the classic track by the band Gala:
*Running forward, facing cold stares and mockery.*
*How can one feel the breadth of life without experiencing hardship?*
*Fate cannot force us to kneel and beg for mercy.*
*Even if blood stains our embrace,*
*Keep running, carrying the pride of a pure heart.*
*How can one see the brilliance of life without persevering to the end?*

Chat:
"《The Pure Heart of Chasing Dreams》... I understand now."
"A fan of PDD for seven years, I get it."
"I feel like there’s a lot behind Zi'ang’s story."
"The same kind of people—you both carry a pure, unyielding heart for esports."
"This is exactly what makes RNG so unacceptable."

The viewers finally understood why PDD had stood up for Lu Zi'ang without reservation. With the song playing and Lu Zi'ang’s subtle, unreadable expression, combined with the 333 Super Rockets from PDD, the stream's popularity surged past 50 million, and his follower count hit 1 million in a very short time.

Why? Because the 33 rockets Lu Zi'ang gifted back had touched PDD's fans, earning their absolute respect. That single phrase, "If you treat me like a national treasure, I shall repay you with the loyalty of a patriot," moved countless viewers to tears. Simultaneously, Lu Zi'ang shot to the top of the trending lists.

The trending keyword was just that single sentence, leaving infinite room for public interpretation. RNG was once again dragged through the mud. Netizens began to write their own versions of the narrative:

"There was once a genius youth who dominated the Korean server. Because he dreamed of an all-Chinese team, he chose RNG, fought for a year in the training camp, and was unstoppable in the LDL. Yet, in the S8 World Championship quarterfinals, he was made a scapegoat!"

"What a perfect example of 'repaying loyalty with loyalty.' His stats in the LDL prove everything! How dare those fanatical trolls try to smear him? Call him a traitor?"

"Is there such a thing as a 'traitor' who earns 3,500 a month and trains like a machine for two years? What was that Baron play really about? What was the deal with that do-or-die game in the quarterfinals?"

"Do the fans of a 'three-surname slave' really have the right to slander him?"
"RNG is trash."
"EDG found a diamond in the rough."
"Shark Live found a treasure."

The controversy grew intense. RNG’s reputation seemed to hit rock bottom once again. Lu Zi'ang’s history spread across the internet like a virus, including his photos from his time in the LDL and old clips of him slaughtering players on the Korean server two years ago.

Many had initially held a poor opinion of Lu Zi'ang, thinking he was just a fickle player who jumped from RNG to EDG and started streaming immediately. Uninformed netizens had followed the hate blindly, but now, many began to speak up to clear his name.